


Groot’s Family Dinner

by thecaptainrabbit



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Adorable Groot (Marvel), Baby Groot (Marvel), But Not Much, Family Dinners, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, My First Fanfic, Okay parenting, Other, Stomach Ache, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Vomiting, groot is too cute I can’t
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-27 02:46:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21384799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecaptainrabbit/pseuds/thecaptainrabbit
Summary: My first fic!  I’m really excited to get my writing out there.  I hope you like this story!Groot loves to chow down on the bugs and other snacks he finds on the guardians’ ship, but will he bite off more than he can chew?
Relationships: Drax the Destroyer & Gamora & Groot & Peter Quill & Rocket Raccoon, Drax the Destroyer & Groot, Drax the Destroyer & Rocket Raccoon, Gamora & Peter Quill, Gamora & Rocket Raccoon, Gamora/Peter Quill, Groot & Guardians of the Galaxy Team, Groot & Peter Quill, Groot & Rocket Raccoon, Mantis & Guardians of the Galaxy Team, Peter Quill & Rocket Raccoon
Comments: 15
Kudos: 15





	Groot’s Family Dinner

**Author's Note:**

  * For [grootiez](https://archiveofourown.org/users/grootiez/gifts).

> Hey AO3! Like I said in the summary, this is my first fic. It’s basically just GOTG fluff between volume 2 and infinity war, so it’s canon compliant and doesn’t have much in terms of plot. But if you want cute Baby Groot shenanigans, this is the right place. Please comment with any suggestions you have to improve my writing. Thanks!

Groot wandered through the Benetar, looking for the bugs that had often appeared on the Milano. He liked to eat the insects, feeling a sense of pride from keeping the ship ‘clean’ in his own way. However, the guardians’ new ship was much cleaner than Peter’s old M model, and had much fewer pests within. However, it was far from spotless, and after 30 minutes of searching, Groot finally discovered one of the bugs, and snatched it up with his vines. He had just put the bug in his mouth when Rocket walked in carrying a new engine part, which he put in his pocket after seeing his son eating yet another insect.

“Groot, for the love of God, stop putting bugs in your mouth!” the Procyon shouted at the infantile Flora Collosus. In response, Groot shoved more of the insect inside his maw, and in a muffled voice, said “I am gRoOt?” What’re YOU gonna do about it? “I’ll tell you what I’ll do about it!” Rocket responded, taking the bug away and squashing it, much to Groot’s chagrin, “I won’t let you have dessert tonight if I catch you eating one more bug, dust bunny, or anything else that’s not food.” “I am Groot!” Daddy! No fair! whined the sapling. “I mean it, kid! Eating bugs and other stuff off the floor ain’t healthy.” Rocket began, not wanting to be cruel to his son without explaining why. He continued, “If you put stuff that hasn’t been washed in your mouth, you could get sick. Remember when Peter caught that cold after he refused to wash up after that mission on Aakon?” “I am Groot…” I remember… Groot replied, remembering his normally energetic father-figure’s misery while bedridden from sickness. 

Rocket chuckled a bit, reminiscing on Quill’s repeated attempts to prove he was fine by dancing, much to Gamora’s annoyance, before turning his focus back to his son. “If you eat stuff that ain’t been washed, or eat too much, you can make yourself feel real bad. The bugs are pests, sure, but they can make you sick if you eat them. I don’t want you catching somethin’ like what Peter did, so please try not to eat anything you find on the ground.” “I am Groot.” Okay Daddy, but can I still have dessert? the child asked. “Of course you can, ‘long as you promise you won’t bother Daddy while you’re all hyped up on sugar. Just annoy Peter while I’m working after dinner, ‘Kay?” Rocket muffled his laughter with his hand, knowing Quill would be immensely annoyed by a hyperactive Flora Collosus. Groot reached up, and Rocket obliged his son’s silent request, lifting him into the air and setting him on his shoulder. “Let’s see what your mommy and other daddies are up too, kiddo.” “I am Groot?” “Sure, Auntie Mantis too, why not.”

As the pair walked into the living area of the Benetar, Groot was glad to see his mother-figure playing a game with Auntie Mantis. After joint the team, Gamora had found that she greatly enjoyed poker, as she had become adept at hiding her true thoughts and emotions from the world, but had recently found a player who could challenge her in Mantis. Her empathic abilities made it easy to tell how her opponent was feeling, and after Peter taught her the rules of the game two nights before, she easily took him, Drax and Rocket for each of their shares of their last mission on Xandar, though Rocket refused to admit defeat and stubbornly upped the ante, losing a grand total of eight hundred units before quitting. Groot asked his father the next morning why he had kept playing when it was clear Mantis had the advantage, to which Rocket told him “You gotta know when to admit you can’t win and stop, but that doesn’t mean you gotta stop right away.” Perhaps not the soundest life advice, but Groot had to admit that if the guardians had given up when the going got tough, the galaxy probably would’ve been destroyed more than twice by now. 

As it stood, however, Gamora may have been considering Rocket’s policy a load of crap, as she was already 150 units down, and Mantis seemed to have the upper hand this round. Rocket seemed enjoy seeing the deadliest woman in the galaxy squirm. “Ain’t as easy as you thought, huh?” the smug raccoon asked. “At least I’m not down 400 and asking for double or nothing, unlike a certain someone I know…” Gamora snarked back. “Hey, I was four drinks in, y’know!” Rocket snapped. “‘Sides, I learned my lesson. Don’t try to bluff a woman who can literally sense your feelings.” Groot giggled, remembering the angry rant his daddy had gone on that night before settling down. “You were very upset about losing, puppy,” Mantis chimed in, “I hope you are not still angry with me…” “Nah, like I said, ‘shoulda known better, but call me puppy again and we will have problems.” Rocket responded warningly.

Leaving the adults to their game, Groot walked into the kitchen, where Drax was preparing a delicious casserole. Drax knew many recipes from his wife’s cookbook, and after they blew up that mean planet guy, had started cooking for the team more often. “Hello, smaller Groot. Are you hungry for dinner?” Groot nodded. “I am Groot.” I am, but Daddy said if I eat anything off the ground, I won’t get dessert. Drax did not understand what Groot had said, but did understand that Groot was likely hungry for something as a snack, and that Rocket likely wouldn’t condone his usual ‘snack’ of insects from the ship. “I believe that Quill could aid you in retrieving some snacks from his stash. Remember to let Quill decide how much you have. You do not want to eat too much.” Groot nodded again in understanding, and set off to find Peter. On his way, he saw the pantry door was open, and suddenly had a thought. If the door was already open, he could have his own snack, and he wouldn’t need to bother his other father figure. Just a light snack by myself wouldn’t ruin my appetite… the tiny tree thought to himself.

Some time later, Rocket smelled Drax taking the casserole out of the oven, and left Gamora, now 250 units down, to her game with Mantis. “What’s cookin’, Julia Child?” the enhanced procyonid asked. “I am not this ‘Jules Children’ person. Have you forgotten who I am? Did you suffer a blow to the head on our last mission?” Drax asked, concerned for his teammate’s mental health. Rocket sighed in annoyance. “I was being sarcastic, Drax. Julia Child is a chef from Terra. I know because Quill told Gamora she ‘was no Julia Child’ after her last cooking attempt.” Rocket explained, shuddering with the memory of Gamora’s disasterous effort to make lunch. Drax too grimaced at his own recollection of the Macaroni and Cheese that had nearly caused a hull breach. A childhood spent in training to do little more than infiltrate, maim and kill left Gamora with very few skills when it came to household chores, and cooking in particular seemed to best her at every attempt. “So, you seen Groot around here? I wanna to make sure he’s ready for dinner soon.” “Ah yes, he seemed to want a snack, so I sent him to find Quill about an hour ago.” Drax responded. “A snack? I swear, if he and Quill are having too much to eat before dinner again…” Rocket muttered, jumping down from the counter and heading to the captain’s room.

Peter was washing his hands when his smaller friend knocked on his door. “Hey, Quill! Groot in here?” Rocket yelled from behind the door. “Gimme a sec!” the half-Terran yelled back, shaking his hands dry before opening the door. “You’re looking for Groot?” he asked. Rocket nodded, “Haven’t seen him in a bit, and Drax said he went to find you to get a snack.” “A snack? I haven’t seen the little guy at all. I’ve been busy throwing together a new playlist for the zune and washing up for dinner.” Quill responded, confused. Rocket startled. “Then where’s he been for the last hour?!” he shouted, worried about his son. Quill held his hands up in mock surrender. “Whoa, whoa, come on, deep breaths. It’s not a huge ship, so he can’t have gone far. Let’s just think about what he usually wants to do.” Quill’s gentle words allowed Rocket to calm himself quickly, and the two began discussing where their kid may have gone. “Okay, so Drax said he seemed hungry, I bet he went to get something to eat.” “You think he’s eating bugs again?” “Nah, I told him he wouldn’t get desert tonight if he did, it’s not that.” “But if he didn’t come to get me, he must’ve found somewhere else.” The pair suddenly looked up at each other, coming to the same conclusion. “The pantry!”

As the two entered the pantry, they were unsure of what to expect. They definitely did not expect to find the entire pantry in disarray, with ingredients and food lying every which way, with the small Flora Collosus sitting in the center of it all. “...I am grooooooootttt…” Daddy… my tummy hurts… Groot moaned, clutching his stomach. “Groot!” Rocket yelled, rushing to his son’s side. Peter was there a moment later, soon followed by Drax, Gamora and Mantis. “I think he ate everything in this room,” Mantis said in awe. “Nonsense. The walls, containers, tupperware and shelves are not ingested,” Drax rebuked, “However, he has certainly consumed at least five sour candies, two chocolate bars, three lollipops, four-“ “We get it, Drax!” Gamora interjected, “that’s not the point she was making.” Groot groaned, and looking up at his father, said “I am Groot…” I’m sorry, Daddy… Rocket shook his head in exasperation. “What were you thinking, eating all this? I told you you could get sick from eating too much or off the floor, and you did both!”

Groot looked away from his father, unsure of what to say. He felt sick to himself, and not knowing what else to do, asked “I am Groot?” Am I in trouble, Daddy? Rocket picked his son up gently, cradling the sapling in his arms. “No, I think you’re already feeling bad enough as it is. You won’t eat this many sweets again, right?” Groot nodded. “I am Groot!” I won’t, Daddy. I promise I learned my lesson. Rocket smiled down at the little tree who had brought ruin upon their food supply and gave him a little peck on the cheek… just in time for Groot to cough up his ‘snack’ all over the raccoon’s neck and jumpsuit. “Aw, dammit, kid!” Rocket yelled, trying to wipe himself and suit off while simultaneously keeping a steady hold on Groot, a task proving difficult, “I’m getting you to your room, and then I’m taking a shower. The rest o’ya, don’t wait up for me, just eat dinner and I’ll get there a bit late.” Gamora smirked a bit, but nodded, and offered a washcloth to her smaller teammate, which Rocket begrudgingly took with a murmured “Thanks.” The Procyon hefted his child over his shoulder, and walked off to Groot’s bedroom. 

About 25 minutes later, Rocket walked into the dining area. The rest of the guardians had already begun eating, so he simply hopped up to the counter and prepared himself a plate of Drax’s casserole. “He go to sleep?” Quill asked. Mantis perked up, “If he requires assistance, I can help him fall asleep!” Rocket shook his head. “Nah, he was plenty tuckered out, he’ll be asleep soon anyway. Don’t want you to get vomit all over yourself too.” Drax looked saddened. “It is a shame Groot will not be joining us for dinner. He showed great interest in my casserole.” Gamora shook her head. “Seemingly not enough to avoid eating more sweets than even Peter typically does. I’m sure he would rather be resting than eating more food.” “Hey!” Quill yelled from across the table, “I don’t eat that much candy!” Rocket laughed his typically obnoxious laugh, “Pete, you’re 30-somethin’ years old and you have a t-shirt for your favorite candy brand, you don’t got a leg to stand on!” Peter’s infuriated feature were a sight to behold indeed. The conversation quickly became an argument over how much candy is ‘too much’, then an argument over how much sugar constitutes ‘candy’, and then the rest of the guardians desperately trying to convince Drax that no, dried fruit is not candy. 

That night, Groot woke up with a tummyache. It wasn’t as bad as it was after he had eaten all those sweets, but it still hurt. He got out of bed and hobbled over to Rocket’s room next door. Rocket had installed a lock pad lower on his door than the others’, and told Groot the combination in case he ever needed to get to his daddy’s room alone. Groot slowly opened the door, stepping into the dimly lit room. Rocket stirred in his sleep, but his eyes remained shut. The tiny tree walked up to he raccoon’s bed, and pulled himself up with his vines. Rocket startled and awoke, but seeing his son calmed him swiftly from whatever fear he had just felt. Groot patted his stomach, and Rocket understood, holding him close without consricting to let Groot relax and fall asleep by his father’s side.


End file.
